Smartphone users will soon be able to add gigabytes of storage using DAVE, a portable hard drive about the size of a credit card. Dave uses Bluetooth and WiFi technology to connect wirelessly to handsets. The DAVE storage platform is open source and will enable third-party software developers to create new applications for the mobile phone utilizing the hard drive.
The first portable hard drives for mobile phones will soon be on the market, promising to spark a "multimedia revolution" by meeting increasing storage demands of smartphone users.
Seagate this week announced the Digital Audio Video Experience, or DAVE, a portable drive that connects wirelessly to mobile phones via Bluetooth and WiFi.
"Mobile telephony is undergoing a multimedia revolution, and the DAVE mobile content platform will provide even more fuel for the growth of new music and video services over mobile networks," said Rob Pait, director of global communications and electronics marketing 
with Seagate.
The DAVE technology will be offered to telcos and mobile handset OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) for sale under their respective brand names. It is expected to be available during the second quarter of 2007.
"The technology is built for portability and is about the size of a centimeter-thick credit card," said Pait. "It will provide substantial storage capacity without impacting the design or cost of mobile handsets."
DAVE has a range of around 30 feet, and battery life of 14 days standby or 10 hours use. No pricing details have been released.
The push to monetize massive investments in high-speed wireless networks has accelerated new service offerings, including mobile TV, digital music and digital video.
The number of mobile video download subscribers will jump to nearly 5 million in 2010 as compared to roughly 250,000 mobile video download subscribers in 2006, according to Frost & Sullivan. That growth is now sparking demand for more storage capacity for both enterprise and individual consumers.
"Products using DAVE will enable digital content for business or entertainment to be stored, moved and connected in ways never before possible," said Pait.
"Mobile carriers can use this technology for creating value from their investments in high-bandwidth networks, and mobile handset manufacturers have another tool for turning the multimedia phone into the center of the mobile consumer's digital life," he said.
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